Yarn switch



Dec. 27, 1966 R. G. SCHIMPF YARN SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1964 Dec. 27, 1966 sc l 3,294,305

YARN SWI TCH Filed April 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 YARN SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 20, 1964 United States Patent 3,294,305 YARN SWITCH Robert George Schirnpf, Wilmington, Del., assignor to E. l. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington,

Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 360,942 Claims. (Cl. 226-97) This invention relates generally to the winding of yarn from a continuous source of supply and, more particularly, to an auxiliary apparatus for handling the yarn during a process interruption.

When yarn is supplied continuously as in the extrusion of molten polymers such as polyamides, polyesters and the like, it must be disposed of in one way or another as a full package is removed and replaced with an empty core. The usual procedure is for the operator to cut the advancing bundle and introduce the yarn into a fluid-actuated aspirator which carries the yarn into a waste container until the winding of a new package is commenced. Improvements in the apparatus employed are desirable, however, to increase the efiiciency of the operator and reduce the time required in manipulating the yarn to an aspirator.

In addition to the problems encountered in changing yarn packages, reactivation of a production unit is troublesome, particularly where the extrusion takes place on one level or floor and the winding occurs on a lower floor, thus requiring the coordinated efiorts of two operators to accomplish throw down through an interfloor tube and stringup. An apparatus with which the latter functions can be performed independently, i.e., with which the need for coordinated efforts on both floors can be avoided, has been disclosed by Barnes et al. in U.S. Patent 3,051,364. Although useful for the intended purpose, this apparatus is somewhat cumbersome, has high air requirements and relies on separate air systems for throw down and disposal. Furthermore, in normal operation, this apparatus requires the attention of a skilled operator not only for stringup of a new package but also to handle the yarn when the preceding package is full.

The most important object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for disposing of yarn as it advances from a continuous source. A corollary objective is to provide a disposal apparatus which is equally useful and functions in substantially the same manner either at the initiation of a new production run or at the completion of a package. Provision of an apparatus which exerts a positive control over the yarn with a minimum of operator attention is a more particular objective.

With these and other objects in view, the disposal apparatus comprises generally an otherwise imperforate conduit provided with a through passage connecting opposed fittings, one of which is adapted for seating engagement with the interfioor tube. The other fitting is mounted in a socket for pivotal movement of the conduit to and from a position in which the one fitting is seated against the tube. A vacuum line is connected to the socket and so located as to communicate with the conduit passage as the one fitting is moved toward the yarn-receiving position.

In the following specification, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a yarn-handling installation into which the disposal apparatus has been incorporated;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the disposal apparatus showing the pivotally mounted conduit in a yarn-receiving position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line IIIIII of FIG. 2 and illustrates the condition of a releasable latch means when the conduit is fully retracted; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV of FIG.

3,294,305 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 2, showing the yarn-receiving position of the conduit in full lines and two alternate positions in phantom.

The process installation shown in FIG. .1 includes a spinneret 10 from which synthetic filaments 12 are extruded into a quenching chimney 14. After convergence, the filament bundle enters an interfioor tube 16 and normally advances over feed roll 18, draw pin 20 and draw roll 22, through a fixed guide 24 and a traversing guide 26 to a rotatably driven package 28. Adjacent the open outlet end of tube 16, there is a disposal apparatus 30 which is adapted for direct connection to a waste container 32 through a vacuum line 34.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, apparatus 30 includes a housing 40 and a conduit member 42. The upper portion of housing 40 is cylindrically shaped to present a mounting socket 44 for a similarly shaped plug fitting 46 on conduit 42. At its other extremity, the conduit has a fitting 48 which is adapted for seating engagement with the grommet 47 shown at the open end of tube 16 in FIG. 4 and is biased toward that position by a torsion spring 50. A through passage 52 connects fittings 46, 48. The orifice in fitting 48 is provided with a guide 49 through which yarn advances to passage 52 and vacuum line 34 sion of fitting 46. On its surface, wheel 60 has notches 62, 64 adapted to receive one end of a spring-biased pawl 66. When the conduit is pivoted manually to position 42, against the bias of spring 50, pawl 66 engages notch 62. Similarly, when the conduit is in its housed position 42", pawl 66 engages wheel 60 in notch 64.

For releasing the conduit from its housed position, there is a slide cage 68'provided with a central opening 70 which receives the free end of pawl 66. An actuator rod 72 is reciprocable in the upper web of cage 68, extends upwardly through floor 74 and terminates in a knob 75. The cage is biased downwardly by a spring 76.

At the initiation of a production run, e.g., after installation of a reconditioned spinneret 10, the second floor operator pulls knob 75 on actuator rod 72 to release pawl 66 and ratchet wheel 60, thereby releasing conduit 42 for pivotal movement responsive to the snap action of spring 50. The resulting partial vacuum in passage 52 and interfioor tube 16 provides the necessary assistance for continuous advance of filaments 12 to waste container 32, i.e., there is no need for a separate air system in tube 16 or for coordinated operator assistance at the lower level. Rod 72 is then pushed downwardly, permitting return of cage 68 to its normal position by the action of spring 76 and thus providing an indication to the lower floor operator that yarn is available. When the draw-wind equipment 18-28 is ready for stringup, the first floor operator pulls conduit 42 downwardly to intermediate position 42' where pawl 66 engages notch 62 in ratchet wheel 60. He can then break or cut the yarn bundle while simultaneously insuring its continuous advance to a sucker gun or the like which is used to stringup the equipment. The vacuum line connection is then broken by pivoting the conduit to its housed position 42" where it is held by the engagement of pawl 66 in notch 64.

During normal operation, when a full package has been wound, the winding operation can be interrupted simply by pushing an actuator extension 69 on cage 68 upwardly to release the pivoted conduit which then snaps up into a seated engagement with the open end of tube 16, thus entrapping the yarn which is broken by this action or is cut it necessary. As the advancing yam doubles on itself, a loop is formed and drawn into passage 52. The trapped yarn end is then released by pulling the pivoted conduit down momentarily. In this manner, a package can be terminated and the advancing yarn routed to waste in a minimum of time by relatively unskilled operators, leaving the subsequent stringup of a new package to more experienced personnel.

The yarn waste disposal apparatus of this invention, although simple in design, is very efiective in facilitating the positive and economical operation of spinning and winding equipment, especially where the extrusion of filaments takes place on one floor and the winding is done on a lower floor. However, in view of its ease of operation and the ready accessibility of the yarn running to waste, this apparatus may also be used to advantage with spin- ,ning and winding equipment located on one floor or with other equipment installations in which yarn normally advances through a tube to a succeeding process point.

The various parts of the apparatus are usually constructed of a suitable metal such as steel, but other materials may be substituted where suitable. The yarn guiding surfaces are suitably chrome plated steel with a mat finish.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a yarn-handling installation including a tube through which yarn normally advances between two process points, a disposal apparatus comprising: an otherwise imperforate conduit member provided with a fitting and a restricted through passage beginning at said fitting; means mounting the conduit member for pivotal movement of said fitting toward and away from a position of seated engagement with the .outlet end of said tube; and a vacuum line connected to said mounting means for communication with the terminal end of said passage and said tube as the fitting is pivoted toward said position.

2. An apparatus for the disposal of yarn having a normal path of advance through a tube, said apparatus comprising: a conduit member provided with a through passage connecting opposed fittings, one of said fittings being adapted to receive yarn from said tube when in a position of engagement therewith; socket means pivotally mounting the other of said fittings, thereby facilitating movement of said one fitting toward and away from said position; a vacuum line connected to said socket means for communication with said passage as said one fitting moves toward said position; spring means coupled with said conduit member for biasing it toward said position; and releasable latch means also coupled with said member for holding it, against the bias of said spring means, at alternate positions spaced from said position of engagement.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said releasable latch means is a spring-biased pawl cooperating with spaced notches on said conduit member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein is provided a linkage coupled with said pawl for its release, said linkage including an actuator at each end of said tube.

5. In a yarn-handling installation including a tube through the open end of which yarn normally advances to a succeeding process point, a disposal apparatus comprising: an otherwise imperforate conduit member provided with a restricted through passage opening into opposed fittings, one of said fittings being adapted for seating engagement with said open end, the other fitting being plug shaped; a housing provided with a socket pivotally mounting said plug shaped fitting for movement of said one fitting to and from its position of engagement with said open end; and a vacuum line extending through said socket for communication with said passage and said tube as said one fitting moves toward its position of engagement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,051,364 8/1962 Barnes et al 22697 3,066,471 12/ 1962 Scragg. 3,144,187 8/1964 Naumann 22695 M. HENSON, WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiner.

C. H. SPADERNA, A. N. KNOWLES,

Assistant Examhzers. 

1. IN A YARN-HANDLING INSTALLATION INCLUDING A TUBE THROUGH WHICH YARN NORMALLY ADVANCES BETWEEN TWO PROCESS POINTS, A DISPOSAL APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN OTHERWISE IMPERFORATE CONDUIT MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A FITTING AND A RESTRICTED THROUGH PASSAGE BEGINNING AT SAID FITTING; MEANS MOUNTING THE CONDUIT MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FITTING TOWARD AND AWAY FROM A POSITION OF SEATED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTLET END OF SAID TUBE; AND A VACUUM LINE CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE TERMINAL END OF SAID PASSAGE AND SAID TUBE AS THE FITTING IS PIVOTED TOWARD SAID POSITION. 